December 8th, 2017 by WCBC Radio

WCBC News has now confirmed there are at least eight candidates interested in filling the vacancy on the Allegany County Board of Education. The seat opened last month when board member Lorelee Farrell passed away following an extended illness. Her replacement will be appointed by the governor's office in the coming months to fill the seat until the election next year. Those who have confirmed that they have submitted an application or are planning to include: Lorelee Farrell's husband Robert Farrell; former school board members Nick Hadley and Ed Root; Jen Thomas with the Western Maryland Area Health Education Center; Morgan Mayer, a former student member of the board of education and currently employed at Frostburg State University; James "Snake" Robertson, longtime chair of the Chamber of Commerce Education Committee; Gary Stein, retired teacher and principal; and Wesley Mason- a political science student at Allegany College of Maryland and a regular attendee at board meetings. Of the eight, Mason is the only one who has actually filed to be candidate in next year's election. That election could be wide open as incumbents Sara Beth Bittinger and Laurie Marchini have each told WCBC News they will not seek another term, while the third incumbent, Wayne Foote has not yet decided. With Farrell's passing, the school board will have to add that post to the November 2018 election ballot, meaning that four of the five board seats will be decided by voters next year…